In Malta, it was the ‘biggest thing since the last ice age’

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="255"] Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, right, speaks Thursday at The Genesis Group’s general meeting at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro. Also pictured, from left: Anthony Tozzi, director of planning and development for the town of Malta, and Utica |Alissa Scott / Observer-DispatchMayor Robert Palmieri.[/caption]

WHITESBORO – Booming business. A strong demand for hotels and rental cars. An influx of people from other states and countries.

Those are some of the things Anthony Tozzi, director of planning and development for the town of Malta, has reflected on since nanotechnology engrossed his town in 2006. He shared those thoughts with a crowd of more than 100 people Thursday night at The Genesis Group’s general meeting at Hart’s Hill Inn.

Tozzi has over 30 years experience in the practice of land use planning and has previously served Saratoga Springs, Schenectady and Troy.

“I’m here to share what I’ve learned in the Capitol Region and the challenges we’ve encountered in the town of Malta,” Tozzi said. “This was the biggest thing since the last ice age, since Europeans started living in Malta.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Aug. 20 that GE and Austria-based AMS would open nanotechnology enterprises in Marcy featuring 1,500 jobs. GE will be moving into the Computer Chip Commercialization Center at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

GE will start with about 470 employees, but over the next decade ramped up to about 950, officials have said.

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BY ALISSA SCOTT ascott@uticaod.com